‘Let me introduce you, Sarus. This is Sorrow, my wife.’
The queen held my hands, and I focused on her smiling face. If memory served me right, Queen Sarus was in her early fifties. Her blue eyes shone with sincerity, matched by a warm grin sweeping the years away. Her red hair was arranged into a neat, intricate knot, highlighting her long neck. I glanced down at her flawless teal dress, and my eyes widened at the sapphires and silver decorating her slender wrists and hair. I released an embarrassed breath as I smoothed down my own plain dress. If I dressed the part, would I feel more like the queen I was supposed to be? I suspected I would merely look like a child playing dress up.
‘It’s lovely to meet you, Sorrow. Now,’ she said, narrowing her eyes, ‘let me get a good look at you. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.’
‘That’s something we have in common then.’
She threw back her head and laughed. It was easy to see why Matthias liked this woman. She lay a soft hand upon Pablo’s head. For a moment, my heart lurched, but Pablo closed his eyes, relishing the affection.
A short man, a mass of scarlet finery and golden buttons, coughed from the centre of the room.
‘If you would please take your seats, the meeting of The Alliance will commence in a few moments.’
Sarus raised a brow. ‘Don’t go rushing off after this meeting, Matthias. I’m eager to learn how my ward is getting on.’
‘Skye is forever grateful to you,’ he replied, pulling my seat back while I scowled.
‘I bet you wish you’d been sent to Motresh instead.’ I nodded towards the blurry, elegant queen as she sat the other side of Romero.
‘She’s certainly a better monarch,’ he whispered. ‘She also treated Skye like one of her own. But…I’d never have met you.’
My scowl increased as the figure in the centre coughed and dived into his opening statement.
Rolling my aching shoulders, I watched as the Vyrium powered lanterns flickered weakly. Still, the six remaining members of The Alliance were no closer to an agreement.
Matthias had slung his jacket over the back of his chair and rolled up his shirt sleeves. I’d been slightly distracted by his deft fingers as they loosened his top buttons, looking away from the sliver of exposed collarbone when he slammed his fist onto the desk, scattering paper. I jumped as Pablo snapped at the fluttering sheets.
‘The empress’s ships are scouting the lay of the land from my kingdom’s coastline.’ His voice remained firm. I wasn’t sure if it was the fading light or if his cheeks were truly tinged with red. ‘You’ve lost sight of the fact that if I fall, we all do.’
‘It isn’t I who’s lost sight of anything, Asmar,’ Romero spat.
I was so tired my eyes refused to work properly in the fading light, but from the way Matthias exhaled, the slur had been directed at me. I still hadn’t spoken – still I waited for my opening.
‘If we could remain on topic, Romero,’ said Sarus, her voice commanding respect. ‘Matthias has a valid point. If we fail to support Asmar’s borders, we’re all at risk. We’ll crumble like the ash cliffs of Vyrus.’
‘But how are we supposed to defend ourselves if we send all our forces to Asmar? If the empress breaks through, I’ll need my guards to keep my own people safe.’ King Seth of Itoras sat back in his chair, working through mouthfuls of cheese. He was a painfully pale man. A smattering of yellowing hair spread across his round head. He spoke through half-chewed mouthfulsof food, and the fact that I hadn’t once shoved my pen down his throat was a testament to my patience.
I grimaced at the sound of his thick pink lips slapping together as he folded a chunk of pale ham and shoved it in.
‘Then what’s the point of this?’ Matthias said, indicating the debating chamber. ‘Why did you bother coming to an Alliance meeting when half of you appear to be unwilling to uphold the values and principles it was created for in the first place?’
‘I suspect, for some, the exquisite food was more motivating than the dire threat our continent faces,’ Sarus said.
I barked out a laugh, dropping my head as everyone looked my way.
The Alliance began shouting over one another again. My hand reached for the wolf who should have been by my side; I gasped as I found nothing but air. My head jerked up, peering about. By Vyrus’s flame, where had the damned creature slunk off to?
‘Am I supposed to put my people at risk all to help Raul’s son?’ Seth appeared to pick some food from his teeth before he spoke again. ‘And after his bloody brother spent years living with the empress.’
‘That’s a fair point,’ Romero said, his pen working furiously before passing a note to his clerk, who raced to the Itoras contingent. ‘Surely your brother developed an attachment to the woman?’
Matthias inhaled sharply. ‘Ifan was sent there atyourbehest. He can barely speak about his time there, let alone hold any sentimentality for the empress. And don’t think I can’t see through your attempts to distract us from the most pressing issue here. If you fail to support Asmar, you’re failing your own subjects, putting countless lives at risk.’
‘I, for one, agree with Matthias.’ Sarus sat down, her back straight. ‘Lord Chancellor, please note, I’ll pledge a number oflegions and my finest Anomalies to assist Asmar inourfight against the Empress of Carush. Who will stand with us? Who else will make future generations proud of our stance?’
I sat straighter as the other monarchs frowned between themselves and their advisors. Matthias leaned forward and damp locks of unruly dark hair tumbled across his forehead.
Romero stood. His steely gaze bore into Matthias, the hint of a smirk flickering across his face. By now I was so exhausted, it could have been a trick of my eyes.
